Membership Matters European YWCA Regional Meeting

October, 2014

Stuttgart, Germany

Workshop Aims

• To share YWCA Ireland’s experience and learning from the European Youth Forum Membership Growth Project

• To consider membership growth in the context of your local YWCA

The European Youth Forum is made up of more than 90 national youth Councils and international non governmental organisations. It brings together tens of millions of young people from all over Europe and is organised to represent their common interests.

The Membership Growth Project

The main aim of the project is to achieve growth and diversity in the membership base and from that develop new models for membership development in youth organisations in Europe.

Defining membership growth?

• Increase in new members

• Expansion of an organisation demographically or geographically

• Effective retention of existing members

• Member engagement

• Volunteer participation

Antwerp, June 2013

Estonia, September 2013, The Observation Phase

• What messages do we communicate as organisation? • Is membership accessible?

• Do we communicate effectively with our existing members?

• Do we manage our volunteers effectively?

So what did we do?

•Working group • Focus groups • Online survey • In depth analysis of our website, social media pages and

membership process• Analysis of how we involve volunteers• Test case

Ireland January 2014, Our Findings

Focus groups and surveys • 100% of focus group participants want to know more about the

YWCA • 53% of women surveyed online considered vital that the YWCA be

involved in mentoring young women • 71% of women considered it necessary that the YWCA lobby and

advocate on women's issues • 87% of women surveyed considered it vital or important that the

YWCA provide leadership training for women

Getting involved

• Volunteering often comes before or alongside membership (member poll; how did you first get involved with the YWCA?)

• It’s not that easy (test case)

• Value for money matters

Volunteers (volunteer management checklist)

• Volunteering are not aware that they are volunteering with YWCA Ireland

• No formal volunteer management structure in place

• No formal volunteer recognition programme

• We have lots of volunteers. They are not members.

Communications

• Website – there are no words

• Newsletter, infrequent and very long

• Email – national does not communication directly with the local

• Social media – on Facebook members are not likers, no social media strategy, lack of key influencers on twitter.

Vilnius, June 2014 – Taking action

Communications

Website: • Consultation with Board Members and Staff• Website designer employed• Content writer employed

Social Media:• Facebook likes, January 2014 152 ‘likes’/October 2014 424 ‘likes’. • Twitter account reactivated, January 2014 28 Followers/October 2014 168 followers• Linkedin account established • Social media masterclass• Communications workshop with members and stakeholders at AGM

Newsletter: • Former Microsoft Word newsletter replace with E-Zine format

Database:• Central database of all stakeholders created using Mailchimp

Governance

• At least one third of our national board is comprised of young women under 30• Joined a human resources consultancy to assist with internal governance • New General Secretary appointed

Other

• New partnerships with other organisations have been formed including Fight for Flight, Dublin Rape Crisis, Immigrant Council of Ireland

• Invitations to partner from stakeholders including YGB, YWCA, Palestine

Membership Process

• Membership ‘Want To Know More’ form created

• Member event in May – higher percentage of young women in attendance

• Member section on our website

• The Truth About Trafficking Event attracted 60 participants (non members and young women)

The development of our membership and

promotional materials is ongoing

Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain but all the happiness and growth occurs when you are climbing it. (Andy Rooney)